NEGRIL, Westmoreland — Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett says Jamaica’s tourism sector is rebounding with strong momentum following the passage of Hurricane Melissa, noting that hotel operations have largely been restored, with occupancy levels and forward bookings trending upward.

Additionally, Bartlett said that the destination remains firmly on track for its reopening on December 15.

Bartlett, who toured hotels and attractions across Negril on Friday, said the roll-out continues steadily across major resort areas.

“The market has responded fairly well, because already we are seeing occupancy in November. That’s very encouraging. I was at Iberostar this morning and they have a 40 per cent occupancy in November — just a month after the hurricane. That’s huge,” he said.

“We are here at Grand Palladium, nearly 30 per cent, but what is important is the forward bookings. They are now very strong signs that December is going to be fairly strong, and January onwards we’ll begin to get back to our way. I want to indicate the continuation of the rolling out of destination Jamaica as we move to December 15 when officially we will declare that we are open for business, subject to the incremental accretion of more properties, more rooms, that will come on leading into 2026,” he said.

Looking ahead, Bartlett said the tourism sector will return to full strength over the next 18 months.

“Certainly, when all the properties are back by May, June, July of 2026 Jamaica will be cooking with gas,” he declared.

He noted that Ocho Rios was assessed last week and deemed ready, and Friday’s tour confirmed that Negril is also moving confidently toward full resumption of operations.

“Today we are doing [the] Negril area and we are having a mix of, not just the properties that are traditionally accommodation-driven but also our attractions, so that the experiential element of our tourism offering is seen to be alive and strong,” he said, adding that the pace of recovery has exceeded expectations.

“What also is important is to see how nature itself is re-energising the environmental landscape. It is amazing to see how quickly after the passage of this… weather event that hit Jamaica, how quickly after we have shown the strength and resilience that will enable confidence in the destination,” he said.

The minister praised tourism workers for their dedication, despite many personally experiencing the storm’s impact.

“The workers have been very strong. And I will pay tribute, as my minister of state did a while ago, to the workers who have really suffered and are themselves victims of this hurricane but they find the energy, the resilience within themselves, to not only come out but to show the spirit of Jamaica,” Bartlett said.

“The smiles and the wonderful warmth, [the] infectiousness of the hospitality continues to radiate and makes it possible for us to say to the world, ‘Don’t second-guess my promise of your having a safe, secure, and seamless experience when you come to Jamaica,’ ” he added.

Bartlett also commended Grand Palladium Resort for returning quickly to operation.

“I congratulate you, [General Manager] Alberto [Grau] and the team for really making this, one of our largest hotels in the entire Caribbean, looking spic and span again,” he said.

He added that the guest feedback at Grand Palladium confirms confidence in the destination, noting a family group of 26 from Cameroon celebrating Thanksgiving in Jamaica.

“So what is the message? The message is, ‘Yes, we are back.’ And we are seeing that our guests are buying into the wonderful thought that the best way to support Jamaica is to visit Jamaica,” Bartlett said.